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It just wouldn't be the holidays without some form of shortbread and one of the things that I like so much about shortbread, other than its buttery melt in your mouth goodness, is that it is easy to change things up by adding different flavours. I found this recipe for lime 'meltaway' shortbread cookies on use real butter a while ago and I had been itching to make them. With the dull and dreary winter weather setting in, it seemed like the perfect time to pull out some limes to ward off the gloominess, even if just for a few moments. There is just something magical about dusting shortbread in powdered sugar from its reminder of and hope for a white Christmas to the way that it quickly melts in you mouth delivering its sweetness. Although these cookies can be a bit messy, I recommend using a plate and napkins, they are certainly worth it! The initial hit of sweetness gives way to the buttery shortbread and then lime flavour comes through finishing off everything nicely.

Lime Meltaways

Servings: 24

ingredients

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter (room temperature)

1/3 cup powdered sugar

2 limes (zest)

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons corn starch

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup powdered sugar

directions

Cream the butter with the powdered sugar.

Beat in the lime zest, lime juice and vanilla.

Mix the flour, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl.

Beat the dry ingredients into the wet.

Roll the dough out into a 1 1/4 inch log.

Wrap in plastic and let chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

Slice the dough into 1/4 in thick slices and place them on a baking sheet, 1 inch apart from each other.

Bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven until just lightly golden brown, about 12-15 minutes.

This is the first time I've seen these cookies referred to as "meltaways" by anyone other than my mother. She always made them at Christmas time when I was growing up. She hasn't made them in years though. Maybe now that she's retired she'll make them again. The lime is definitely an unusual twist though. Very interesting!

Well isn't this a tease - believe it or not I am sitting here in the Key West airport catching up on blogs while waiting for our plane to board, already sad enough that I'm leaving behind all these wonderful key lime treats, and you have to throw this in my face! ahh well. Might just have to make these at home :)

I think that they tasted even better a few days old, it seemed like the lime was more pronounced. They looked great in the cookie baskets I made for friends and neighbors, I stacked them in cupcake papers, and they tasted magnificent with a cup of Earl Grey.

I’ve been an avid reader for awhile and just wanted to get it out there what a big fan I am of your blog. My question is about sherbet. There is loads of information on the internet about the definition and difference between sherbet, sorbet, ice cream, etc. but there are absolutely no good recipes!

The long and short of it is that I fell in love with Trader Joe’s pomegranate blueberry sherbet and I’ve been trying to replicate it for ages. If you haven’t tried it you have to go to the store right now! I was wondering if you have come across any great sherbet recipes I could try or if you have any suggestions. My main trouble comes to the texture of the sherbet. My sherbet attempts are great right out of the ice cream maker but become hard as a rock in the freezer. How do I achieve that sort of creaminess? I’d love any tips/recipes/resources you could suggest. bgrindl (at) gmail (dot) com

Because I don't use apps with facebook but follow you via email and have 'liked' you on facebook, where I saw this before it got to my email. I clicked on this recipe and found I basically had to go back to google to get back to this page without using an app. I've been following (and supporting by linking in my own blog) your blog for a long time and this was really discouraging...I get it, but I don't like it much. Do love the recipe though!

Island Woman MJ: You were in the Facebook app and you clicked on the link for the recipe and what happened? Did it bring you to my site? Somewhere else? Was this on an iPhone, an Android device, a tablet. I would love to get to the bottom of this. Thanks for you help!

Kevin, I am going to add these to my Christmas cookie baking this year and am going to add some green sugar to the powdered sugar for rolling to make them more Christmasy. I always make a shortbread for my hubs with browned butter, that has cooled to room temperature. It's a nice variation to regular shortbread and you can add chopped pecans if you wish. Thanks for all your recipes, love them.

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About Me

I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.